#Why is their relationship so multi-layered?

[sflow-er]

So many thoughts on the fabulous Barbie film, but especially on how anyone who thinks it’s “hateful towards men” clearly isn’t getting the message.

SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT

[Credit for both gifs goes to their makers!!]

I mean... Ken’s arc is secondary to Barbie’s, and rightly so. This is her film, and her message deserves to be the main takeaway.

That being said, I just find it really sad that the people who could’ve definitely used the point of Ken’s arc just let it go right over their heads. Maybe it’s because they aren’t great at reading subtext, or because they just balk at anything presented as feminist, I don’t know.

Because to me, Ken’s arc is about as far from “hateful towards men” as you can get. It’s a multi-layered depiction of how restrictive, outdated views of masculinity can hold men back and make them susceptible to harmful ideologies that promise easy solutions for all their problems but only make those problems worse and hurt others around them.

The first layer is an allegory for real men don’t show their feelings. In the movie, this is represented by Ken’s need to look tough and cool all the time, and to keep his insecurities and sadness bottled up. Barbieland is a utopia where being happy is a social norm, and the main Barbie also starts to struggle with that. The difference is that she eventually tells her friends, and they all support her. Ken just puts pressure on himself not to look weak - in front of Barbie, or in front of the other Kens.

Which brings us to the second level: a competitive and inherently hostile view of the other Kens, aka. toxic male relationships. Some of them are friends, and all of them work together for a while to build the Patriarchy, but they don’t actually bond for real. Even their boys’ nights are mainly about getting back at the Barbies for all their girls’ nights (which really were about bonding). When push comes to shove, the Kens still see each other as competition, which is one of the reasons why the Barbies are able to play them against each other.

Another reason is the third layer: the idea that Ken only has value if Barbie loves and admires him. It starts out as unrequited love that makes you feel sorry for him...until he turns bitter. He basically starts on the path that could lead him down the incel/mra rabbit hole and into a mindset where Barbie owes him love and admiration and the relationship he wants in exchange for his devotion to her. He decides that everything would be better if Barbies were subservient to Kens, but of course that’s not true. None of the Barbies’ newfound admiration for their Kens is real, and his own Barbie still rejects him.

All this is of course underpinned by the final layer, which is Ken’s lack of self-respect and sense of purpose. He’s got a pointless job, he’s not particularly qualified for anything, and he just feels kind of lost in Barbieland - a society run by successful Barbies who are living up to their full potential. That’s why he gets so caught up in the idea of the Patriarchy, which is supposed to make him successful, get others to respect him, and give him a sense of purpose. (This can be generalised to all kinds of harmful ideologies in the real world, e.g. the alt-right movement.)

However, the success he achieves is superficial and not based on any real passion; he even admits that he wasn’t happy in his new position and already lost interest in the ideology. The (forced) respect of others does feel good for a while, but it only goes so far. At heart, the whole thing is still mostly about his feelings of inferiority and unrequited love for Barbie, and instituting this harmful new system did not resolve those for him.

So what does? In essence, breaking out of all these harmful patterns and internalising the idea that he is enough.

He ends up reflecting on his feelings, finally puts them to words (or rather, song and dance), and manages to connect with the other Kens through those feelings. He even cries in relief and acknowledges that it doesn’t make him weak. He and Barbie finally have a proper talk, he lets go of their (non-)relationship, and he listens when she says he needs to figure out his real self. He starts to see himself not through his job, his girlfriend, or even his competition with the other Kens, but as just Ken, who is enough.

I honestly can’t think of a less hateful message to send men and boys.

#barbie spoilers #barbie movie spoilers #barbie 2023 spoilers #barbie movie #barbie 2023 #barbie meta #greta gerwig #barbie #ken #and of course the perfect ken #ryan gosling #he is kenough

[writing-with-sophia]

How to develop the enemies to lovers trope effectively

I wonder why I didn't write this post sooner. The enemies to lovers trope is so fascinating! I think I love it from now!

Establish Strong Conflict: Create a compelling and believable conflict between the characters that sets them up as enemies. This conflict can be based on opposing goals, ideologies, or personal histories. The more intense and fundamental the conflict, the more satisfying the resolution will be.

Show Layers and Complexity: Develop multi-dimensional characters with depth and complexity. Avoid one-dimensional stereotypes and explore the reasons behind their animosity. Give each character strengths, vulnerabilities, and compelling motivations that contribute to their dynamic.

Gradual Shift in Dynamics: Allow the transition from enemies to lovers to happen gradually. Start by depicting intense clashes and heated interactions, gradually revealing glimpses of vulnerability or shared experiences that challenge their initial perceptions of each other. Show subtle shifts in their interactions and emotions over time.

Moments of Connection: Create opportunities for the characters to have genuine moments of connection or understanding, even amidst their conflicts. These moments can be brief and subtle, such as a shared joke or a moment of empathy. These small sparks of connection build the foundation for their evolving relationship.

Forced Proximity or Collaboration: Place the characters in situations that force them to spend time together or collaborate on a common goal. This could be a mission, a project, or a circumstance that necessitates their cooperation. Develop shared goals or a common cause that forces the characters to work together despite their differences. As they face obstacles and make sacrifices for the greater good, their bond strengthens, blurring the lines between enemies and allies. Proximity also allows them to see beyond their initial prejudices and discover shared values or unexpected qualities in each other.

Natural Development of Chemistry: Develop a slow burn in the characters' romantic feelings. Craft witty and engaging dialogue between the characters. Use banter, verbal sparring, and playful teasing to create chemistry and showcase their evolving relationship. Allow their emotions to evolve naturally. The chemistry between them should build gradually, fueled by their changing perceptions and shared experiences.

Internal Conflict: Explore the characters' internal conflict as they navigate their shifting feelings. They may struggle with their attraction, question their loyalties, or wrestle with the fear of vulnerability. Internal conflicts add depth to their journey and make the resolution more satisfying.

Growth and Change: Show personal growth and development in both characters as they navigate their shifting relationship. They should evolve beyond their initial roles as enemies, confronting their flaws, and challenging their beliefs. This growth is crucial for a believable and satisfying transition from enemies to lovers.

Mutual Influence: Demonstrate how the characters influence each other positively. Through their interactions, they should inspire growth, self-reflection, and change. Each character should have a transformative impact on the other.

Authentic Resolution: Ensure that the resolution of their conflict feels authentic and earned. The characters should confront and address the issues that initially made them enemies, finding common ground and genuine understanding. Their resolution should be based on mutual respect, trust, and a genuine emotional connection.

Vulnerability and Emotional Depth: Explore the characters' vulnerabilities and emotional depth as their relationship evolves. Allow them to gradually open up to each other, sharing their fears, dreams, and past traumas. This vulnerability creates an emotional bond and deepens their connection.

Conflicting Loyalties: Introduce conflicts of loyalty that challenge the characters' evolving relationship. They may have allegiances to different groups or individuals that complicate their feelings. This internal struggle adds complexity and raises the stakes for their choices.

Remember, the enemies to lovers trope is most effective when it is supported by strong character development, realistic conflicts, and a gradual evolution of emotions. And don't forget to maintain a balance between conflict and romance, allowing the characters to evolve while staying true to their unique personalities and circumstances.

If you want to read more posts about writing, please click here and give me a follow!

#writing #creative writing #writeblr #writerscommunity #writer things #writers #writersociety #on writing #writers on tumblr #writblr #writings #writer #write #writers and poets #writers block #ao3 writer #amwriting #female writers #author #writing stuff #writers of tumblr #writing tools #writing prompt #writing community #writing inspiration #writing tips #writing advice #enemies to lovers #enemies to friends to lovers #lovers

[pascalswift]

BURNING DESIRE

STEPDAD!JOEL x F!READER

SUMMARY : after all Joel did marry your mother, but she was oblivious to the motive behind it. Not silly love, it’s was you. It was always you, His sweet little stepdaughter.

WARNINGS : age gap (reader is early 20’s Joel’s late 30’s), dark!joel, perv!joel, step-cest, oral (f receiving), boob play, pet names, fingering, overstimulation, daddy kink, manhandling, mutual pinning, established relationship, (This is Short, sorry my loves )

JOEL MILLER WASN’T A EVIL PERSON, NO. HE WAS JUST CALCULATED. A very smart man, seemingly very stoic but once you break past the multi layered concrete you’d find someone that you’d never want to leave. Maybe that’s what enthralled your mother to jump into marriage so quickly, she truly believed he was deeply in love with her and she was he. She believed that she just happened to meet a professor at your college whom was single and yearning for the domestic things in life, but she was so utterly wrong.

To Joel miller, well he had found an in. One that allowed him full access to you, free to stare, free to do whatever he imagined without having to worry about a college or a student noticing the way he seemed to linger on you. After all, it was no accident that day when he and your mom “crashed” into each other.

So here he was now, arms crossed over his chest, Dress shirt screaming at the push from his large arms. The older man staring sternly at you as you sat on your bed promptly ignoring him. “I told your mother we’d meet her there.” Joel persisted and you huffed rubbing the heel of your palm over your eyes.

Your mother wasn’t your favorite person, she was money hungry, and self absorbed. She tried to claim she loved you, even more attempting to smother you after your father desperates this life a few years ago but time after time her true colors would peer through the blinds. So sitting at a dinner with her and her husband wasn’t something you’d like, especially if your step fathers brother/business partner was gonna be there. Your mother seemed to love his company…

Joel wasn’t dull he knew his wife likes his brother. But he also knew his brother wasn’t like that.

“Why can’t I just stay here? Tommy’s gonna be there and he’s good company.” You shrugged and Joel’s jaw clenched as he dropped his arms. “But I want ya’ there sweetheart.” Your heart raced as he walked closer to you, doe eyes looking up at him as his rough hand gripped your jaw angling your face upwards. “You just want attention huh?” Joel cooed before he bent down pressing his lips against your plush ones.

“I don’t know what you mean.” You mumbled as Joel pulled away, his brows raising as he crouched in front of you. He tossed the sheet off your legs angling your legs to the side of the bed, Your knees level with his neck. He tilted his head placing his hands on your knees as you were only in a pair of white cotton shorts with a tiny pink flower in the front center right under your belly button, and a plain pink tank top. He eyed the way your nipples imprinted the fabric of your thin tank top.

“Y’know what I mean baby.” Joel stated, his voice a bit lower. “If ya didn’t you wouldn’t be reactin’ like you are.” His hand slid up grazing your clothes nipple and you sucked in a breath. “If I give you somethin’ you promise you’ll get dressed after?” He was smirking, because he knew how to make you comply. You demeanor had changed from refusing to go to nodding with vigor whilst looking at your step-father.

His large rough hands slid up your thighs leaving goosebumps in its wake as his hands reached your shorts. He stood up hands grasping your waist as you tossed you further up the bed, a light giggle escaping your lips that made him smile as he climbed between your legs. Your heart rate was through the rough as he pulled your shorts and panties down in one go tossing them somewhere around the room.

He watched as your chest heaved and he yanked your tank top down letting your breast spring free and he groaned as he ground his hips into the bed to relieve some pressure. He leaned up taking a nipple into his mouth and your head lulled back with a whimper that turned into a light moan when his teeth grazed it. He pulled away pinching your other nipple before he lowered himself between your legs. Groaning at the mess of slick in your folds.

“Baby’s already wet f’me.” You nodded as he kissed your inner thighs, so close to wear you want him. “Word’s.” Joel muttered biting your inner thigh before soothing it with his tongue. “Just f’you daddy.” It escaped your lips and Joel nearly moaned at the way you said it, his hips moved on the mattress getting some relief as he finally flattened his tongue and licked a thick harsh stripe up to your clit.

You hands pulled at his hair as you moaned. Joel had quickly lost himself between your legs, it was supposed to be a little treat but it quickly just became a frenzy. His tongue dipping into your tight hole as You writhed. His arms were locked under your thigh pushing your stomach down not giving you much room to move. “s’good- mmgh”

Joel sucked your bundle of nerves harshly before, letting his tongue trace it before his hang slipped lower and his thumb pressed on your clit pulling up lightly, watching as you held onto your breast absentmindedly pinching and pulling at your nipples, before he returning to sucking and you felt tears brim your eyes as your abdomen felt hot. “D-daddy.” You whined as his other hang slid up between your boobs and both of your hands grabbed onto his larger one.

“I know baby, your bein’ so good f’daddy.” He mumbled as he used the pad of his tongue to lick down towards your weeping hole. His free hand that you were holding coming down as he poked at it with his index finger. Your hips jerked and you whimpered. “Gotta get you ready for later princess, ya’ want that hm?” You nodded eagerly but moaned loudly when you felt his thick finger enter inside you. Joel himself moaning at how warm and tight your walls were, barley just accepting his one finger he could only image what his cock would feel like inside of you.

He was so tempted to just fuck you after this but he didn’t wanna raise any flags. His finger pumped in and out of you and he already felt the way you clenched down on his one finger, your cries only spurring him on. Without warning he pushed his middle finger inside of your hole that was pouring arousal. The stretch was a sweet burn but quickly became just sweet as Joel’s mouth went back on your clit and his fingers pumped deeply inside of you.

He curled his fingers upward and you let out a particularly loud moan as the coil tightened in your stomach and heat slowly started to build up. “P-please- mgh. Daddy I’m g-“ Joel only sped up watching as your face contorted into pleasure. Mouth open with harsh breaths and brows furrowed. He curled his fingers up and sucked on your bundle of nerves watching as your orgasm hit you.

As he fucked you through your orgasm you were sure you blacked out for a minute. The pleasure washed over your body making your head push further into your pillow as you babbled incoherently. When you finally came down from jumping multiple feet in the air you felt Joel’s mouth still on your clit, his fingers still inside of you and your thighs attempted to close. Only to be cut short by his strength. “Daddy s’to much- m-“ you were unable to form a coherent sentence as Joel kept going, seemingly In a trance.

Tears started to fall down your cheeks as you yanked on his hair attempting to push him back but not outwardly telling him to stop, the pleasure being to enjoyable. “Gimmie one more baby.” His voice was raspy as he lifted his head only for a second before returning back to his place between your thighs pulling his fingers from your slick full hole. His fingers covered in your arousal as he smeared it over your clit, hearing your whimper of emptiness.

His hand slid up your neck and his finger tapped your bottom lip letting you taste yourself while he used his tongue to make you cum again.

Before you reached dinner you had already came three times, and you weren’t sure if you’d be able to handle later.

thanks for reading <333

if you wanna be tagged just lmk and message me with requests I’m happy to write mostly everything <33

#joel miller x reader #joel miller smut #joel miller x female reader #joel miller x you #joel miller x y/n #joel miller #joel miller the last of us #joel miller tlou #pedro pascal #pedro pascal x reader #joel the last of us #stepdad joel miller #tlou x reader #tlou fanfiction #joel miller fanfiction #joel tlou #joel x reader #dbf!joel miller #dbf!joel miller x reader #dbf!joel #dbf!joel miller x you #joel miller drabble #joel miller imagine #joel miller one shot #the last of us smut #the last of us imagine #the last of us fic #tlou show #tlou smut #the last of us one shot

[thatfreshi]

Rage To The Point of Hysteria (Astarion x Reader)

Third part in this little series (I Want To Mean It and Take This and Leave are both before this.)

Recommended Song: Forgiveless - SZA Ft. Ol' Dirty Bastard

"Well thank the gods you're not upset, because I have a feeling Gale wouldn't try to reverse it at this point."

Astarion's ear perk up at your comment.

"What do you mean darling? I'm sure he'd try if you asked him."

You hesitate to speak again, knowing your fiance will be pissed as soon as he hears about what happened in Gale's tower. Rightfully so, of course, but Astarion is not the type of man you want to make angry, especially when it comes to his lover.

"We aren't exactly... speaking?"

His eyes narrow.

"Is he being a dramatic sad boy again? Because first of all that's my thing, and second of all he has a wedding to be in tomorrow."

"I have a feeling you won't want him there anymore."

"Why not? He's our best friend! Gale has stood by us loyally as long as we've been in love."

You pause, he knows you're not telling him the whole story, but he doesn't push it, knowing you're nervous.

"You do love me... right?"

Suddenly a sadness casts across his eyes, wondering why you would even ask such a question.

"Of course I do my sweet. I asked you to marry me, didn't I?"

You sit back down on the bed, beckoning him to come sit with you.

"Well, Gale said some really horrible things. Horrible things about me, about you, about this whole relationship."

You tear up a little.

"You know he speaks without much thought darling. Not the brightest among us."

"No, Astarion, he was really awful. He said that I was a naive idiot for thinking you were in love with me, and how you've just been using me to keep yourself safe all this time, and that this marriage is just an extra layer of protection for you."

Rage. You still think to this day that somehow his eyes get redder when he's mad, even though that's probably impossible.

"He called you, what?"

His fingernails dig into the sheets, wishing they were around Gale's throat. He could care less about what was said about him, he's been lied about all his life. But you were crying because of something Gale said, questioning his love for you over some foolish man.

"Yeah, and I think he's like weirdly in love with me, and he just never said anything? It was all super gross, and I just can't believe he was like that."

"Funny, I'm in love with you and I would never call you a naive idiot like that. Of course, not outside of the times that you enjoyed it."

Astarion gets back up off the bed, making his way to a chest full of old weapons, memories of your journeys. He squats down, unlocking it, gazing at the various dangerous items.

"Aster, what are you doing?"

He laughs.

"Deciding what I'm going to flay him with my dear, what else would I be doing?"

Rage to the point of hysteria, enjoying the image of exacting revenge. The last time you saw him like this was before he killed Cazador.

"You can't just go over there and cut him up!"

"You're right, I have to do worse. You're so smart my dear."

He grabs a couple of blades out of the chest, and you walk over to where he's scavenging.

"I love you-"

"I love you too darling."

"I love you but, this is only going to make it worse. If you kill him, all of the alarms in his tower will go off, you'll probably be arrested-"

"Worth it."

"Astarion, please just listen to me."

"I am listening, I just happen to be scheming at the same time. I am a wonderful multi-tasker after all."

You'd be frustrated if you weren't worried. He really doesn't like seeing you hurt, or upset, and now you're both, all because some raggedy wizard decided he wanted to cause strife.

"Astarion, you can't even go out right now, it's the middle of the day!"

Now, that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Damn it!"

He tries to ponder for a moment, wondering how long it would take to dig a hole from your house to his tower. After doing some rough math, he lets out a cry of frustration.

"How dare he throw around baseless accusations, and insult you to boot! He's a coward, a slimy, rotten, coward, who's trying to ruin something perfectly good because some goddess told him he should die for the greater good!"

You reach out, grabbing his hand, squeezing it tight.

"Aster, please."

Your desperation snaps him out of his stupor, realizing you're still crying, and his murderous plans aren't helping. He sighs, sitting down next to you, pulling you into lay on him.

"I'm sorry my sweet. I just... I hate seeing you get hurt."

"I know, but killing him doesn't solve anything."

He shrugs.

''Well, it would solve the problem of him existing."

"Astarion."

"Right, right, you're lecturing me about proper emotional maturity and such. Sorry, please continue."

You fiddle with his hands, staring at the details of his knuckles.

"I'm really upset with him too, but I don't need you to go turn him into a human filet, I just need you to sit here and listen to me. I'm mainly upset by what he said about you anyway."

"Well, you know he's wrong."

"Yeah, but to lie about being your friend, and then claim you're still just this horrible person? It's not fair, you've grown so much."

"We're the only people that need to know that Tav. If everyone hated me but you, I'd still be right where I am, loving you, and only you."

You lose a little tension, melting into the warmth of his embrace.

"I suppose you're right."

He leaves a kiss on your head.

"Now, we're going to enjoy our little time left as unmarried lovers, and when dusk comes, Gale and I are going to have a little talk. But until then, you can rant and rave as much as you'd like darling. Does that sound alright to you?"

You draw a little heart with your finger on the top of his hand.

"Sounds great. Thank you."

"Of course whatever you need, always."

#astarion #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate astarion #astarion x reader #astarion x tav #angst #comfort

[jams-sims]

With Philza stream being over that mean I got start on that fucking thesis paper about how Forever and Philza relationship. Makes me come un fucking glued. (I am also listening to Jaiden as she tries to reason with the white bear)

But right now I can only sit back and process it in small bits. Because it everytime they interact the Phissa in me is fighting for their fucking life. Like Philza has amazing chemistry with Missa. Missa is so wet cat-coded, he respects Philza, and he wants Philza to be happy. He is hopelessly in love with him but he fears rejection from Philza. That he feels the need to hide it in the way he speaks. Like that one of my fav old tropes when a multi language character says they love someone in a language they can't understand. Like that shit is so fucking fluff and insanely sweet.

Then on the other side we have Forever. Oh how this relationship is fucking complicated. What started off as a "oh you look like my ex" slowly became. "Oh no I think I'm actually in love". But the relationship is so tragic coded because it was too late. Phil's had already cemented that Forever did not care about him. Because he does not know him. Couple with the mistakes of not realizing philza is an anarachist, and from the uk. (lol)

During a wedding Forever again fails to capture Philza when he's trying to be genuine. An it breaks his hurt, while Philza desperately tries to tell him that just because he does not return his romantic feeling. Does not mean Philza does not like him. We see the contrast of that Philza trust Forever ALOT.

We enter the friendship arc (which we are still in) Forever says "Oh I'm over you" which Philza thinks he's lying and Philza is right. Because every time Forever sees Philza he gets heart eyes and he just pushes those feelings down. He kept pushing them down and went to find love elsewhere. An yet and yet! Somehow, Philza and Forever are closer than ever.

Not even touching on the lore from tonight!

When Forever and Missa talk, it another layer of how complex it gets. Because Missa is more than willing to bend and break to make sure Philza is happy no matter what. An that love is repaid in undying devotion. Forever had to learn from Missa how to love Philza. And that's why he's been honoring the "I no longer feel anything" lets just be friends. But it keeps creeping up, crawling up through forever fucking throat. An it drives me insane-

#qsmp #philever #Phissa #sugarduo #death duo #philza #missasinfonia #qsmp forever

[darkfire359]

Why do I ship Blackhands so much? I know they’re toxic. I know they make each other worse. I know their relationship is doomed by the narrative.

Is it the way that Ed can’t let Izzy go? How he spins a murderous plot just to stop Izzy from quitting? How he gets antsy to “move onto the next adventure” the very episode after Izzy is banished? How after Izzy aggravates Ed’s Stede-induced abandonment issues, Ed retaliates by physically making it harder for Izzy to walk away?

Or is the way Izzy is so protective of Ed? How he challenges his romantic rival to a duel the same way a protagonist would, only without the good fortune of actually being a protagonist? How he has a multi-layered plan for keeping Ed safe when the British come, only to have the most heartbroken expression on his face when Ed takes the Act of Grace anyway? How he puts himself between Ed and the crew (who nearly murdered him) in order to keep anyone from seeing Ed when he’s (in Izzy’s mind) weak and vulnerable?

Is it their matching tattoos? The way Izzy has Ed’s signature tattooed in the exact spot Spanish Jackie’s husband Geraldo has an SJ carved on his cheek? How Ed has that IS____ tattoo that presumably stands for “Israel”? How their swallow tattoos are the inverse of one another (Izzy’s has a solid body and outlined head, Ed’s has a solid head and outlined body)?

Or is it all the random little things in life? The way Izzy is so proud of being the only one (as of the season start) who’s allowed to call Blackbeard by his real name? How Ed runs to Izzy whenever he finds a knick-knack that brings him joy? How Izzy sits on the edge of the dinghy to let Ed stretch out his bad leg?

Maybe it’s just the hope that all of us have: that broken things can still be mended.

#Blackhands #EdIzzy #Izzy hands #Edward Teach #Blackbeard

[theresattrpgforthat]

Review Two, Electric Boogaloo: Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy

This is my second review for Eureka, as the document has been majorly updated, and the designers are gearing up to fund it on Kickstarter from April 10 to May 10.

This game is an investigative game meant for mysteries that incorporate a large amount of action and horror. I’m going to break down some of the interesting things Eureka does, and talk about who I think would be a good audience for it.

Graded Success

Eureka uses 2d6 for pretty much every roll, with the possibility of ending up with a failure, a partial success, or a full success. You can add modifiers from various different places, such as your skills, your fear, and your player Truth. The breadth of this game and the game philosophy behind it means that it is not a Powered by the Apocalypse style game - Eureka is its own beast.

Investigation

There are two kinds of rolls in Eureka - investigative and non-investigative. When you are not investigating, success and failure will mostly be determined by what makes sense in the fiction. For investigative rolls, regardless of success or failure, your character will receive investigation points.

I really like this mechanic because even if you fail, your character makes progress - and in fact, since you gain more investigation points when you fail, this plays as if your character is able to use their failures to arrive at a conclusion later in the story.

This is a great time to talk about the Investigation Bar, which is the central focus of the game. When you fill the Investigation Bar, you get a Eureka! This could be a chance to get a vital piece of information, or to tip the narrative scales into your character’s favor.

Precious Information - Secretive Play

Secrets are important in Eureka. The Narrator has secrets of course - the answers to the mystery, the motives of the NPCs, the supernatural that is hiding around the corner - but the players do to. If you are a vampire, a werewolf, a psychic, etc., you are encouraged to wait until a dramatically appropriate moment in the game to reveal this information.

This presents a very specific style of play. Eureka is an ideal game for folks who want to procedurally uncover information, and game masters who like using pre-determined, pre-written mysteries, with motives, clues and events mapped out. How these mysteries are solved still depends on what happens in play, but as a GM, you’ll have plenty of sources to draw on when the characters ask questions.

Eureka also prepares players for messy relationships between their characters. If you want your characters to misunderstand each-other, compete with each-other, or even betray each-other, that is an option in this game. These complicated relationships might even give birth to a secondary plot line for the characters to follow as they try to solve the mystery, especially if they want to find the answers for different reasons. I think it has the potential to make Eureka a multi-layered storytelling experience.

Procedurals

This multi-layered experience is possible only if you have one or more members of the group who are dedicated to taking notes. Because the information being relayed to the characters is so important, it’s crucial that the players remember that information.

In some ways, this reminds me of games where players are expected to get inventive with the tools they have. Players are given pieces of information, and then asked to put the pieces together while in character. The handing out of this information is similar to what I’ve heard described in GUMSHOE - obvious clues will not require a roll - but what is done with that information is up to the players.

I think this might be why playing in longer games or campaigns might be a really good format for Eureka, because it allows characters to piece together a big mystery over a long period of time. This is a game that requires a large amount of investment from both players and game-master alike; this is procedural play in which the narrative emerges from the procedure.

Horror

Eureka thrives with horror, and while the game is meant to be compatible with adventures with various systems, that doesn’t mean that it is genre-agnostic. There are dark things in the corners of this world, whatever it may be, and those things will scare and stress out your characters. There are a number of mechanics that tie Eureka to horror really well.

First is Composure, which is a replacement for sanity mechanics of games like Call of Cthulhu. Your character can only take so much emotional stress before it starts to inhibit their ability to perform certain tasks. If you lose enough Composure, you’ll find yourself hindered in the amount of positive modifiers you can apply to any given action. I like how this replicates how stressors can inhibit it personal performance - and the fact that Composure can be regained means that you can moderate how gruelling the gameplay is.

There’s also character Truths, which aren’t necessarily horrific, but can give you a reason to take the less-than-optimal path in any given situation. Similar to Vice in World of Darkness, you can gain a modifier to a situation in which your character chooses to act in a way that is in line with their Truth, even if there is another option available. This is a mechanical reward for playing true to your character, flaws and all.

The game also asks you to personalize the fears associated with your character. These fears may trigger Composure Rolls, or apply modifiers to them to make them harder to pass. These fears may also be cues to give to your Narrator, indicating what kinds of things you want to inhibit your character, and what kinds of things you want your character to be able to face with little difficulty.

Toolbox

There are elements of Eureka that are optional, which are there to help tailor your game experience. For example, you can include a Ticking Clock to give your players a dead-line or heighten the suspense, which can focus the game and also make it feel more like a thriller.

You can also tailor the skills to make the game fit a certain setting, such as prioritizing horseback riding or driving cars - or perhaps increasing the medical skills to make this a mystery much more focused on biology and medical practises.

The game also has many nods to various forms of detective fiction, as well as supernatural mysteries, action pulp films, and film noir. You can see this primarily in character abilities, which come as a big list of things you can pick and choose and pair together for a unique character.

All in all, if you want a game where Columbo, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Indiana Jones can all be in the same adventuring party, you might want to check out Eureka.

You can find a free download version of Eureka here, and keep an eye out for the Kickstarter here!

#mint reviews #eureka #indie ttrpgs #tabletop games #dnd

[cornflakesdoesart]

So like, what if B’elanna and Kes dated each other, instead of their lousy boyfriends? Like what then?

My thoughts about them is under the cut, I just wanted to say some stuff in the tags but then I had too much to say :” D

[ID: digital drawing of B’elanna Torres and Kes from Star Trek Voyager, B’elanna is wearing her uniform with added elbow and knee patches and pockets to the design, Kes is wearing a multi layered green and purple outfit, they are sitting, embracing, looking at each other and smiling. The background is a lilac square, yellow stars and pale green flowers around the characters legs. End ID]

this is basically a crack pair lmao I think they never even interact in canon, but I had this ooold drawing of them that I wanted to redraw and then I had so much fun with it

Basically my thinking behind this was that I think their personalities have a nice contrast. At first I think B'elanna would think Kes is a bit of a pushover, but with time I think Kes would be someone B'ellana could feel safe with because she is so non judgemental, and that would be a good mix with how selfconcious B'elanna is of her klingon heritage and temper, that a lot of other characters give her shit for and neg her even when she is acting perfectly normal tbh. I think they would appreciate each other's work ethics and persistence slash stubborness when it comes to things they believe in. and I think Kes is maybe not written very consistently but I remeber her being very even tempered and I think maybe she could benefit from picking up some of B'elanna expressiveness or “temper’” so to speak. And yeah I think Kes could become someone B'ellana isn't constantly self monitoring and holding back in front of when they are together in fear that she is too much, too aggressive, too klingon, and maybe it could start that it's B'elanna who is helping out in the infirmary not Tom!

Basically their canon boyfriends are often/can be jelous, possesive, negging or controlling, especially and mostly Neelix, I wouldn’t say Tom is ever controlling and he gets pretty good as a husband, but still I didn’t really finish the series being swept up in their relationship so that’s probably why I was like but what if...women loving women? And you know if I was writing fic or could bend time continuum to my will and change the show I wouldn’t want Kes/B’ellana to be pure unproblematic fluff either cuz I do love some drama, but not the realisticly lousy boyfriend kind of drama I guess :”D

thank you for coming to my ted talk, and don’t take me too seriously, this is just a bit of fun :”))

#Star Trek #star trek voyager #st voy #kes #star trek kes #b'elanna torres #kes x b'ellana #fanart #digital art #at it again with ships out of left field lol #the way composing this post took forever tho aaargghh

[iris-sistibly]

My final take on Queen of Tears? It was a one hell of a fucking journey + Thoughts on the finale

[Warning: Long-ass post ahead]

Queen of Tears released its final episode last Sunday, April 28. The show made history as it became tvN’s most watched drama, surpassing the 2019 hit Crash Landing on You. Park Ji-eun was the writer for both shows.

The story is about a couple who underwent a crisis in their third year of marriage. However, a significant event will not only change their lives but also pave the way for them to rediscover their love for each other. 

I personally got hooked into this show for three reasons:

First, the plot: Marriage tropes in a lot of dramas are usually about infidelity, toxic and abusive relationships that end in a nasty divorce. It happens in real life sadly, but I appreciate the fact that Park Ji-eun took a different route and gave us another realistic side of marriage. A couple who once had this warm, passionate love for each other became cold and distant over time because of one tragic event that left them wounded and broken. There were also other factors that added salt to the wound which caused them to drift further from one another. I’m not gonna go into details because I have already discussed this in earlier episodes. However, I love that there were a couple of flashbacks that tells the viewers of how their love story began, plus some extra bits and pieces in the epilogue that were either related to Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s past, or a particular scene in the current episode that was told from either of the character’s point of view. 

Switching from light and funny scenes to a more intense one then back to swoon-worthy moments and then the last thing you knew you were bawling your eyes out because of the heartbreaking scenes felt like a roller coaster ride, needless to say I was always on edge and I sometimes had to pause in the middle of the episode so I could breathe. That’s how intense the emotions were in this show. Like I have said before, this is not a rom-com but more like a heavy drama with a couple of light and funny scenes.

But the part in this story that appealed to me the most is that it will make you question, how much love can someone truly give? How far can you go to be with the person you love? And when everything seems black and white, would you be willing to stay? Or walk away? 

Second, the characters: Immediately, I was drawn to Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in. Usually in KDramas, it’s always the male lead who is cool, cold, nonchalant and rich af and the girl is the bubbly, cutesy-cutesy, overly dramatic, and broke. I absolutely LOVE the role reversal. Hae-in is the cool and badass wife while Hyun-woo is the cute, dramatic hubby and together, they make an ✨iconic couple✨. But on a more serious note, a lot of characters nowadays are into the red light/green light spectrum and don’t get me wrong, I love it. Who doesn’t love a green light character right? But again, Park Ji-eun wrote them in such a way that you wouldn’t perceive them as this ultra-perfect, no flaw character, but they aren’t toxic either (except for the main villains of course). A lot of the characters in the show have a good and flawed side, and I love it because that’s what makes them human, they are multi-layered which makes them complex, but at the same time, they were written in such a way that the viewers could have a deeper understanding of the characters, and even relate to them in some ways. 

Again with the exception of the villains, the character developments were so good. Witnessing this whole-ass process of them being flawed and broken characters to becoming the best versions of themselves were just the best.  

Third, the cast: Ah, I can go on and on about how every actor in this show was absolutely amazing! Again, Kim Soo-hyun has proven why he is Korea’s highest paid actor. I love that he can switch from this handsome, smart, and sexy lawyer, to a super cute, loving hubby, and then a man who would fight for his woman no matter what it takes. BITCH! The acting range of this guy is fucking LIMITLESS! As for Kim Ji-won, this is by far her best acting performance in my opinion. Hong Hae-in was such a difficult character to portray, but I love how she was able to effortlessly deliver Hae-in’s stoic, nonchalant exterior and when you look into her eyes you’ll see that vulnerable part of her that no one else except [her husband] sees. 

SooWon’s chemistry on the other hand is GOD-TIER! They were born to play Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in. Whether it’s a funny, romantic, or heavy scene, they nailed it to perfection! These two are the most married couple I have seen in a show. I feel sad that I’m not gonna see them together on-screen for sometime but I am hoping that they’d be able to work together again in the future. Although my delulu self is manifesting for them to be together irl 😂🤧

Park Sung-hoon, I have said before that he is so good at playing a villain. But I hope he gets to show his ability to portray a nice guy in the future, I need a break from him playing evil. 

Kwak Dong-yeon and Lee Joo-bin’s performances as the second couple deserve to be applauded as well. Despite their characters going through crazy shit, I love that they were able to deliver it on a lighter, heartwarming note in contrast to SoWoon’s heavier scenes.

Special mentions to the following 🗣️:

The Official Playlist of the Show- When I tell you that I have listened to every song in this playlist, I really mean it. I don’t understand the language, but everytime I hear a song from QOT, I can instantly imagine a particular scene from the show, that’s how magical it is. My most replayed song is The Reasons of my Smiles by BSS, but I also love Heize’s Hold me back, and the song that makes me the most emotional: Love you with all my heart by Crush. 

The cinematography: I’m not gonna go into details about the technicalities, but everything was perfectly shot, especially the scenes in Germany–it was dreamy, romantic, and beautiful. 

The crew members who worked behind the camera also need to be praised for the hard work, effort, and dedication they’ve put into making this show. 

There are things however about the show that I didn’t personally like or I think they could have done better. Here’s the link of why I think the storyline isn’t as good as I thought it would be: 

The final episode didn’t turn out the way I hoped it would be, although there were some parts of it that were really good like:

📍 Cheon Da-hye and Grace choosing to take accountability for their past actions (also Grace being the key player in bringing Mo Seul-hee down was the cherry on top) and has been given another chance to live honestly was one of the best character redemptions. 

📍The Hong family reclaiming what’s rightfully theirs, that was such a powerful scene.

📍Hyun-woo and Hae-in looking at each other after Mo Seul-hee was proven guilty for killing Hong Man-dae and all the other bullshits she did to Queens and the Hong family, as if saying, “It’s finally over,” and they did it together was so power couple coded. 

📍Aunt Beom-ja and husband #4 [really] taking their time to get to know each other…like literally. Her facial expression when Yeong-seong kissed her on the cheek instead of the lips like she was expecting was GOLD.

📍Mama and Papa Hong choosing a simpler and quieter life and hanging out with their besties (Mama and Papa Baek).

📍The family portrait of the Hong and Baek family 🥹

📍Hyun-woo and Hae-in taking their time to rebuild their relationship, then goes on to get married and have a baby, then visiting Germany every so often was the most heartwarming scene. 

📍I would say that the ending was a bittersweet one. Hae-in’s premonition came true, she died first and Hyun-woo never failed to visit her grave, and then eventually reuniting was one of the most realistic endings in a Kdrama. They lived a good life, they built a family, grew old together and reunited in the afterlife was beautiful but there was a certain ache in that part, perhaps a reminder that no matter how painful it gets, there is always a silver lining, and if you’re meant to be, you’re meant to be.

However, in addition to my linked post:

📍The first half of the story started really strong, but it dwindled the moment they added all of these ridiculous subplots. One Tumblr user commented that Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s marriage had enough issues as far as drama is concerned and I couldn’t agree more. 

📍I get that Mo Seul-hee is a shitty person but I don’t even know why she chose to prey on Hong Man-dae of all people. She could have done the same to other wealthy families (I mean he’s not the only gullible man out there with tons of money), but the question is, what did the Hong family do to her? Surely, there must have been a deeper meaning than just wanting money but alas, it's a question we'll probably never get an answer too.

📍The good thing is that we now fully understand why Yoon Eun-seong acted the way he did. He has mommy issues, abandonment issues, anger issues, etc. My prediction about him dying in the finale was correct, but there was no character redemption for him thus I don’t see the point on why they had to extend his Hae-in obsession arc towards the end. Take out all the irrelevant subplots, and the story still would have worked.

📍One of my biggest frustrations in the show was the fact that they only addressed BaekHong’s miscarriage after Hae-in lost her memories when they could have done that in the earlier episode (the scene where Hyun-woo and Hae-in had a heart-to-heart conversation about their failed marriage), it’s like the writer forgot about that part–which by the way was such a crucial part then she just inserted this scene somewhere in the finale. 

📍I was also disappointed that Hae-in's mom wasn't the one who comforted her during that scene where Hyun-woo was undergoing surgery after getting shot. It would have been such a perfect opportunity to heal their relationship. Also, I would have appreciated it if Mama Hong was the one who personally apologized to Hyun-woo for being harsh towards him.

📍I know I said that the ending was a more realistic one, but babes we were ROBBED! I would have loved to see a BaekHong wedding part 2, their pregnancy journey and moments with baby Soo-bin but alas, we were deprived of that too. As much as I find the finale realistic, I wouldn’t say that I was satisfied either.

📍I just remembered this now, but Papa Hong's and Aunt Beom-ja's other sibling could have actually contributed to ending the villain arc. He could have made moves to unravel Seul-hee and Eun-seong's crap, but idk writer-nim just placed him there just because 🤷.

Overall, do I think that this show is over hyped? Storywise, yes. As far as the actors’ performances go, they deserve it. 

Is the show worth watching? I’d say it’s worth checking out if you’re someone who likes heavy, intense dramas. If not, avoid this. Again, this is not a light rom-com. 

Would I rewatch? For BaekHong, yes but I’ll skip the irrelevant parts.

Ratings:

Performance: 100/10

OST: 10/10

Cinematography, Editing, etc.: 10/10

Story-telling: 6/10

#kdrama #netflix #tvn #park ji eun #queen of tears #kim soo hyun #kim ji won #kwak dong yeon #park sunghoon #lee joo bin #baek hyun woo #hong hae in #hong soo cheol #yoon eun seong #cheon da hye #soowon #my roman empire

[10underoot2]

I ended up on YouTube and came across this video. I cannot express the impact watching their story in a linear pasaage of time has. Kudos to the editor!

I could do a whole analysis on why their relationship is extremely profound and why we've all grown to love them so much.

They truly moved from unfathomable, new, young, fresh love to 'I forgot how to love you' (Hyunwoo) and 'I love you why don't you feel it anymore' (Haein).

The initial part of their relationship and their journey getting to 'You're my home' is extremely complex, multi layered, painful and so beautiful.

At one point one of them promised to be by each other's side in debt or something more while the other promised not to make them cry. At that point, they completely believed one another.

At one point, one of them said hurtful words and the other forgot to try again. At that point, both of them forgot to open their doors.

At one point, Haein who knows Hyunwoo loves her deeply thought him suspicious of joy upon hearing of her death. At that moment, Hyunwoo was guilty.

At another point, Hyunwoo deeply loved her but couldn't undo the mistakes of his past. At that moment, Haein judged him for his mistake. She forgot to give him the benefit of the doubt. She mistook his love for perjury.

At one point, both of them loved each other but could not openly express it to the other. At this point, both of them were hurting immensely.

At one point, they were both able to overcome it and tell the other how much they mean to them. At this point though, they were faced with imminent death.

At one point, Haein wanted to live, but provided with the option to live with a necessary evil of forgetting Hyunwoo she chose to die. At this point, Hyunwoo wanted nothing more than to convince her of their love fully realizing that this was her ultimate act of love.

I could go on. I'm not even bringing in their convictions and belief in each other. This is complex as it is. I cried watching how beautiful this is. It reminded me why I had fallen in love with these two. You can see where the story goes flat. It's when it becomes as simple as I remember it in my heart despite forgetting.

It undoes the complexity of their relationship and emotions and that makes me sad. So I'm gonna focus on this absolute gem of an edit that reminded me why I was rooting for these idiots all along. ❤️

#and then at one point one of them realized she once loved him through a diary and believed it despite her amnesia #and at that point the show lost me #You can see how it just transitions from a very complex and deep relationship to as simple as her heart will remember #I'm not gonna think about it #Ep 1-14 BaekHong forever 🥹🫶🏼 #queen of tears #baek hyun woo #hong hae in #kdrama #kim ji won #kim soo hyun #baek hyunwoo #hong haein #baekhong #Youtube

[fayamn]

This is a 2nd person POV weight gain / feedism story. The POV is a really big gamer feedee having some nice time under the fattening skills of their feeder. No gender is specified. Have a nice read~

Feedee Loading

What is annoying about loading screens? They're too short to do anything constructive, but long enough to get bored. Well, they used to be for sure, but seems like you found the cheat to make them worth your time. As the screen fades to black and displays the usual tips, it is your perfect time to strike... The bowl of sweets next to you, right in range of your flabby arm, your pudgy palms and fingers clutching a mouthful of delightful calories. You munch quickly on them, before grabbing more to continue what most would describe as disgusting snacking. In the dark screen, you see your reflection. You'd think that sight would be unusual, but that wasn't counting for the large mirror your feeder had installed for you. As the game keeps on loading, you give yourself a good look.

You are massive. Fattened. Engorged. Years of relationship with your feeder has turned a chubby body past obesity, and beyond. You're taking most of the space on your one person gaming couch (formerly the living room couch). Of course it shouldn't be a one-seater, but you sure achieved that feat. Your widened ass covers enough space for three people, spilling on all sides as your upper body weight squishes it against the couch that seems hard compared to your soft lard. From your titanic waist sprout two massive flabby legs, that haven't been used for something other than waddling to get more food in what seems like months. Of course you've done other things with those plushy thighs, like being forced to walk to an all-you-can-eat buffet by your feeder for a long moment of publicly stuffing yourself... And having to get back the same way, to be back home for your feeder to sit on your lap and feed you even more. But long is gone the time when anyone could sit on your lap, as it has only been occupied by your gigantic soft gut as of late. The multi-layered monumental glob of lard is the thing that catches most strangers eyes. Who could look away when seeing someone so overfed, so gluttonous their midsection sags past their knees when they stand up, and jut forward so much it precedes them everywhere they go by several feet? Boulder shaped, just as heavy yet so much softer, it's a burden you've learned to love to carry.

Atop of your giant tummy, almost puny in comparison, lays a lard-engorged chest, two bare orbs of fat begging to be toyed with. Like the rest of your body, your arms weren't spared by your gluttonous diet of fat and sugary stuff. The weak muscles buried under bingo wings are just good enough to grab food to fill yourself up, before needing your feeder to pick it up from there. At this weight, your neck and face weren't spared as well. You know that fat chin is gonna get cupped by your feeder's palm as they'll lift your head to feed you more.

And of course, you're not bothered by clothes, as you're deprived of them in your home. Why wouldn't you just be a constant display of obesity for your feeder? Clothes are only to cover yourself outside, even if at your size nothing is left to the imagination anymore. When you're in your den to grow, game, and fatten, there is no need to wear anything.

The game resumes, as you begin jogging and dodging your way back to the boss arena. Suddenly, you feel two warm hands sliding in your belly folds from the back, and a head gently landing on your soft shoulder, your cheek getting kissed.

"Alright big gamer, dinner time."

You were about to protest to keep gaming just a bit, but your grumbling belly seems to think to otherwise.

"See, your body know what's best for you: being an even fatter, greedier, useless pet for me. Alright, keep on going, but next time that boss wipes the floor with you, you'll have to get up for I'll be shutting of the console at least... And don't expect me to make your challenge easier as well."

As the fight begins, the playing does for your feeder. Prodding the lard, shaking the folds, nuzzling your ham sized arms, whispering exciting thoughts... Not the ideal gaming experience, except for you.

"You're doing good with your controller despite have more lard than muscle in your hands. Sure you're not getting winded? Spamming the attack button much be such work for a fatass. You're lucky there isn't a weight gain system in your game, I'd make your character just as fat as you. Oh, look at that, seems like it's time for you to get up."

The touching stopped just as the screen displayed a big "game over", even though the real game was just about to start.

"Alright fatty, time to lift that fat ass off the couch."

They know you can't get up on your own, it's been a while now. Not that it is actually useful, they could feed you then and there, but having you waddling your huge fat body to the kitchen is just so much hotter. You try to lift yourself up the couch. An attempt that could be qualified as pathetic and futile, as you just wobble back and forth a couple inches each time, you butt still fully in contact with the couch. After thirty seconds of trying at most, you raise your hands for your feeder to help, knowing the usual teasing is coming.

"Oh, did you even try before giving up fatty? I'm pampering you too much, I've spoiled you into asking help for everything. Don't worry, that's how I like you, helpless and needy, too fat for your own good, but loving every second with your horny mind."

They grab your hands. Unlike yours, they have fat free fingers, nice palms that don't sweat from holding anything. The difference is so great it's embarrassing to even hold their hands, but without their help you're nothing more than a beached whale every time you sit.

"You like giving me more difficult workout everyday don't you? How about I bring you to the gym, I'm sure you'd make some nice weight for some to bench press... Although I don't think there actually is someone pumping your weight."

After a good pull, you're finally barely standing up. You know there are muscles under the lard of your legs, given how you can even waddle given how much weight you have to lug around. Your feeder gives you a happy evil grin as they shove three fingers under your belly button fat fold to lift it and jiggle it. Your tummy rumbles and groans, the playing making it eager to be filled yet again. And it's such a pleasuring thing to have a pixie sized feeder (comparatively to your massive self at least) play with the gigantic flabby gut they gave you over the course of endless feeding sessions. Being grown to this size, the fact you have someone like that as your partner is as much as a trophy as your extreme obesity is to them. You're standing, breathing heavily through your open mouth.

"Good job standing up fatty, way to be a biped huh? With such hard work you deserve a reward..."

Just as you notice they have a hand behind their back, you know what's coming. They suddenly perk up on their toes, revealing a big pain au chocolat. The next moment, it's in. You've let yourself wide open, with your mouth agape, to be fed. They shove the snack right between your lips as you can just moan in surprise and pleasure. Reflexively, you hold the food in, knowing your feeder is gonna take advantage of the situation even more by playing with you. They giggle and step behind you. You felt he wandering hands on your back folds, the petite body pressing itself against your massive fat expanse... Then suddenly, you feel a good slap on your left butt cheek, the hit rippling through your fat skin like water. You let out a muffled moan, right before your right cheek getting the same treatment.

"Look at that fatass. So padded with lard the hit didn't feel that hard huh? And how pathetic it is that you're so weakened by the blubber, so submitted to me you're just standing there and taking it? But you're at least turned on, I know as much."

They're right. Every time they play with you, you feel the buildup between your legs, behind your apron of lard. And you can't help it, lowering your hand to try to pleasure yourself. An act quite futile, given all the fat in the way, your pudgy digits are forever locked away from pleasuring you now. Your pitiful try to play with yourself wasn't missed by your feeder, who giggles in your ear.

"Aww, did I turn the fatty on? Come on, show me how you can touch yourself for me piggy."

It's futile. Pathetic. Pitiful. Yet sexy for the both of you. Your palm and fingers closes on nothing, as your hand can't go under your heavy belly to reach the parts aching for attention.

"Seems like you need a forklift to raise your belly now, that might give you the chance to touch yourself. Or you need to beg for me to give you some release, huh?"

A whimper escapes your lips as your butt is jiggled once again by a slap.

"You can't touch yourself, poor fatty. Guess you'll have to drown that sorrow in more fattening food..."

You swallow your food as your feeder comes back in front of you. They giggle and start to pull lightly on one of your fat folds.

"Come on hippo, your caretaker wants you well fed."

Slowly, you waddle forward, your stomach eagerly groaning for the good food you're bound to be fed soon. Each "step" makes the floorboards creak, as you barely lift your feet while keeping a wide stance to keep your balance. Your arms are spread wide, as the fat prevents you to keep them close to your body anyways. It's a short trip, for anyone that's not a human beached whale.

After starting to sweat, being out of breath, wishing for a snack on the way, you're finally in the kitchen, and you drop on the sturdy couch in front of a table filled with enough food for a feast. All for you, indeed. You don't have to be asked to dig in. You're already a massive hog, and it didn't start by itself, but with the innate gluttony that doomed you the moment you crossed paths with someone so eager to make you grow.

You gorge yourself recklessly, your stomach eager to be filled with all the fattening stuff you can't resist shoving down your throat.

All of what you're filling yourself up with would make a diet fan faint. In between greasy bites, you sneak in a couple gulp of a drink. Not water of course, why waste stomach space on low calorie filling? Only soft drinks and other cream-like drinks are in your fattening diet.

When you have a free hand, you feel your body up. And you're not the only one going for it either. Your feeder is already exploring the vast expanse of your fattened self, as usual. You can't help but feel like you're some kind of livestock, and your farmer owner is checking on your progress. And that owner way more than satisfied with your "work". One thing became clear quite quickly: food wasn't that good a distraction from how turned on you were. In fact, you knew this was contributing even more to your general horniness. Eating with the knowledge all of it is to become more of your lard is one of hottest thoughts your kink-filled brain can muster. So you eat. And gorge. And stuff. And look like the hungriest hog while doing so, still glutting yourself like you're starving, but looking so well fed you never have known anything other constant gluttony.

Despite your incredible need to fill your body up with the greasiest, most sugary, and most fattening stuff possible to explode your scale, your piggish soft arms are way too weak to keep up with your gluttonous impulses. It makes sense after all, using your arms and hands only to hold your controller and shove food in, it was only fair they wouldn't cooperate for prolonged activities like a feast, when any muscle is buried under all the blubber you let yourself be filled with. Plus with your stomach filling up like a misshapen balloon, the pressure on your lungs increase from below, making your breaths more shallow and pathetic than usual. In short, even with doing your favorite activity (stuffing your fat face), you have a body made for lazing around, and you're getting tired. Luckily your feeder is an expert at picking up on that before you, and the next moment your arms rest on your blubbery sides as food is forced down your throat. Your eyes close in bliss. After all, being treated like a food dump is your greatest pleasure isn't it? Your belly gets tighter with every swallow, until the uncomfortableness from it contributes to your joy even more. You've fully surrendered yourself. You are treated as nothing more than a growing toy for your feeder.

Just as you're about to tell your feeder you're about to give up, the feeding is over. Your stomach protests loudly to how much hell you're putting each through at every meal, making it work constantly to digest all the bad stuff that makes your body good. Your feeder gets to playing with their favorite plaything, kneading your flabby gut, forcing burps out of you to revel in the noise, displaying shamefully your gluttony.

"Come on fatty, let me hear how much of a pig you are. How much of a good work I've done reducing you to something so fat and pathetic."

You know what comes next, they aren't gonna give you any respite. Your feeder is addicted to your struggle as you are to food. You raise tired arms, and you're getting pulled out of the kitchen couch. You're a mess now. Your stuffed belly barely shows under the massive layer of lard, you just look even fatter. The way back to your fatass gaming couch is more of a struggle. You're heavier, wasting energy on digesting your gigantic meal, tired, on the cusp of a food coma. Your steps are heavy despite your legs barely lifting up. Your feeder snickers, totally turned on by such a pathetic waddle, admiring their titanic hog.

"Aren't you happy I've made you that sexy? Thanks for carrying all the weight of our kink fatty, it suits your inner pig."

Just as your legs are giving up, you're finally at your destination (like 20ft from the kitchen). You drop on the couch... and realize you've exceeded its maximum weight. With a loud creak, the four short legs of the furniture snap, making you fall half an inch closer to the ground. You'd look red with embarrassment if you weren't already for exertion and horniness.

"Damn, really fatass? You're too fat for the couch? I guess you could destroy it even more... Awww, embarrassed are you? What did you expect, you're too big for this world fatty. Nuh-huh, I'm not giving you your controller back yet... Now that you're nice and full, ashamed as I like, fatter than ever, you need some release downstairs don't you? Do you want me to disappear under that gut and pleasure you, hog?"

You nod eagerly. Your feeder winks, disappearing under the crest of your bloated midriff.

What is annoying about loading screens? If you weren't such a pleased fatty, you're sure you'd ponder the question.

#faywrites

[thealmightyemprex]

Sci FI Month:Why X Men the Animated series is awesome

So I binged the entierty of X Men the Animated Series and I intended to make an epic review with episode reccomendations,annnnnd it ended up too long ,so instead I am going to go over reasons why this show is Great and has an enduring legacy

1.X Men in general as a franchise has tons of characters to choose from and I think it is so wise of the show that they limit it to 9 core characters,while some fan favorites get really good guest appearences like Nightcrawler

2.The Characterization and relationships are top notch ,every character gets a spot light and each character has layers ,with each character having their own demons.Even Professor X who couldve just been the mentor figure gets fleshed out to where you understand why he does what he does .Oh if you wanna know who my fave characters are:Storm,Wolverine ,Gambit, and Beast

3.The villains are varied ,from the anti villainous Magneto ,to the brutish Juggernaut ,to the bigoted Graydon Creed ,to the sadistic Sabretooth,to the complicated Mystique ,to the cold Mr Sinister to (My favorite ) the bombastic Apoclaypse

4.As a comic adaptation I think its fun that the show doesnt limit itself to one period of X Men but pays tribute to 30 years of comics:The designs are Jim Lee inspired,they pay tribute to Lee and Kirby,the stories pull a lot from Chris Clairmount ,and several episodes were written by comic legend Len Wein

5.The show doesnt have the biggest budget but with its shading ,strong character designs and editing it still holds up rather decently

6.Voice acting is all around solid,Cal Dodd,Lenore Zahn,George Buza and John Colicos are the go to voices for Wolverine,Rogue,Beast and Apocalypse to me

7.The series is serialized with a conitinuity,which while common with modern cartoons,was kind of a new thing back then.We can thank this show for changing how action cartoons were done.Also each season has a distinct feel with the first three having story arcs(The Sentinels in season one,Magneto and Xavier trapped in the Savage Land in season 2 , andDealing with the aliens known as the Shiar Empire in season 3 )

8.The writing does not talk down to kids,in fact the writing for the show is very good not shying away from the fact this is a show about prejudice

9.I think the show has good momentum getting better and better up to Season 4 ,which is the best season of the show .Now Season 5 does feel like it is running on fumes,but it still has great episodes and contiains one of the greatest animated series finales ever "Graduation Day "

10.And of course.....The theme song is kickass

If you want me to explain my feelings more just ask me,I am more then willing to ramble about this amazing cartoon.I plan to do my top 10 favorite episodes,villains,and multi parters

@ariel-seagull-wings @the-blue-fairie @piterelizabethdevries

@amalthea9 @themousefromfantasyland @princesssarisa

@angelixgutz @theancientvaleofsoulmaking @filmcityworld1 @countesspetofi

#x men the animated series #Sci fi month #Youtube

[simp-ly-writes]

Meet the Doctor pt.9

Pairing: Stardew Valley Harvey x Reader

Summary: The year is going by and what does Harvey think about the reader throughout it all?

Warnings: angst, heartbreak, crying, anxiety attack mentions, the whole drill (shit happens).

A/N: I promised, and lets see if I upheld that promise all those chapters ago.

Masterlist | Taglist | edited.

Meet the Doctor Series (pt.1) (pt.2) (pt.3) (pt.4) (pt.5) (pt.6) (pt.7) (pt.8) (pt.9) (pt.10) you are here

The door chimes and you were running, running from yourself and running from the museum without a coat. The wind swept through your hair placing many layers of snowflakes in it as they ate away at your layer of skin. Up the street and past the shops you ran, the multi-coloured lights mocking your ruined appearance as they blinked aggressively in your peripheral vision as you enter the clinic, the door hardly clanking against its frame as you move with purpose, your body shivering with a mixture of adrenaline, anxiety and possible hypothermia. 

You quickly take a look at the empty front desk as you lead yourself further into the clinic, lacking the usual coffee and baked goods. Majority of the lights are off, and the doors are locked all for one just off to your right. Taking a deep breath in you knock lightly on the wood, pausing for a second thought, you hear soft cries coming from within and then enter with determination.

You see Harvey in his office chair, looking over notes as his chest rises up and down sporadically. As you make your way over- shivering he slowly turns to face you yet refuses to make eye contact. Your heart dropped at this action, so this is it, you thought to yourself.

So this is it, Harvey thought to himself while taking in your blue skin, subconsciously moving to place his green jacket around your shoulders, slightly smiling at the slight before becoming seated once more and raising his hand for you to sit in the one across from him. 

With you both seated, you both open your mouths to speak in an all too familiar scenario back on a park all those months ago, Harvey moves to say you should speak first yet you beat him to it and the Doctor starts opening up.

I-I thought that everything was going alright, great even. Every morning I would get to see you, your hair a mess still and your eyes slightly closed as you yawned good-morning to me in the most adorable fashion. I thought that was enough for me yet I see you standing there with him, stringing your fingers through his hair. It reminds me of my place in your life and all the differences that separate you from me, and between myself in my heart and my brain. Today was just another example of that. 

Harvey- I-, you get interrupted for the first time ever since speaking with him, surprised, he apologises yet continues his speech. 

I guess I worried about you going away… that is why I never offered more… did more like I should have… like Elliot did… Harvey takes a deep breath. I guess what I’m meaning to say is that I was worried of being left behind as well… that if we ever were to start something new, something more… that you would realise I would never be enough. I know that I am not the most interesting guy, and Elliot is everything that I could never be... 

His throat clogged mid sentence, holding back the tears from a bay in his eyes. Glasses become steamy, hands shaking as he struggles to make eye-contact with your dropping facial expression. So this is it. Harvey repeats to himself once more, this is how things are going to end… It was your turn to interpret the conversation now as you noticed the Doctor begin to spiral his thoughts. 

With passion settled into your eyes, you grabbed Harveys face in your hands, ensuring that he was looking at you with what you were about to admit. Harvey, In the past I have been confused with versions of myself and of what relationships are, I have made mistakes and learned so much in this year I have been in the Valley and since meeting you. 

I know that I don't look for the most fun nor the most interesting person in the world. I know that I don't need someone who will write poetry about our love story for the world to hear and I most certainly don't need one who comes and goes through the door every night, leaving me feeling stranded here as their career begins to have the whispers of taking off into the washed lime-lights in a godforsaken museum that burns the hatred in my very core. I came to this Vallery for a reason, and the longer that I stay here. 

The more that I realise that reason is you. All I need is you, all I could ever want in every lifetime is to have a man that is dependable, understandable and happens to have a very good moustache. And every time without a doubt in my mind, that would be you and my soul would do everything in its being to find you in a sea of fakes and non-forevers. You are my forever Harvey, for as long as you'll have me. I know the traditionalists will call this early but I knew that early on you were going to be something special to me and I am so sorry that I took me this long and in all this emotional turmoil to find that specialness is within a prolonging romantic drive I hold for you and you alone. 

You finish your speech with tears welling in your eyes as Harvey leans over and collapses in your arms. You feel each other's tears run down your necks as you both breathe in deep, taking in one another comforting presence to then move apart and share your first kiss, short and sweet in the room where it started two years ago. You both fall back laughing in your chairs after, brains not fully contemplating what your hearts have predicted since the beginning and Harveys looks at you smile wide as lines crinkle around his eyes lovingly. 

--

Bonus:

I think that your heart rate is rather high, do you have an explanation behind it this time? Your doctor teases you. 

I think that I’m just really excited this time Harvey, because this time what I feel and what I know are now the same. Harvey hums in agreement to your statement, leaning forward to kiss you once more as Maru enters the moment a second later, shock racking through her frame as she pivots on her heel and exits the room as soon as she enters. 

To be continued... promise fulfilled.

Meet the Doctor Series (pt.1) (pt.2) (pt.3) (pt.4) (pt.5) (pt.6) (pt.7) (pt.8) (pt.9) (pt.10) you are here

#stardew valley harvey #sdv harvey #sdv harvey x farmer #sdv harvey x reader #harvey stardew valley #stardew harvey #stardew valley #stardew valley fanfic #harvey x reader #fanfic #fanfiction #simp-ly-writes #simp-ly

[suuho]

people treating sangdo as a villain or evil person in welcome to samdalri just because he lashed out when he was hurt, is so beyond bizarre to me because he is absolutely not? intended to be an evil person, or a bad character, or the villain. yes, he is written as the second lead, so obviously he will show interest in samdal, and yes, that includes resenting his best friend for falling in love and “getting” the girl sangdo has loved all his life, too (and by that, rendering the claim of yongpil’s first love irrelevant, which is part of the point and subtext of his tantrum, because to sangdo, and culturally, it means he has as much of a chance with samdal as yongpil—or should have, if she ever would have reciprocated his feelings, or have given him the time of day the way he wanted her to).

sangdo is not evil, and he is not worthy of being treated like a villain. human relationships are messy, and people who have grown up together have a lot of history that informs such relationships, and it will inevitably lead to conflict. people will say shitty things when they are hurt or feel slighted, and friendships are not always easy, and demand work, support, understanding. when one person falls short of that, or feels wronged in a way, there will be consequences, and feelings never make things as cut and dry as they’d preferably be. that is just human life, and welcome to samdalri shows the very real, muddled truth of these sort of relationships. any relationship, really.

on top of it all, in comparison to yongpil, whom everyone loves and adores, and who is written in a way that shows him as a universally good, friendly, caring and down-to-earth character, who is sort of the entire village’s son or care-taker, sangdo would always appear less than. narratively, that is the way sangdo has been framed, and the way he was set up. i personally find it interesting that there is tension between yongpil and sangdo—tension, that, by the way, mostly and quickly dissipated when they started fighting about trivial childhood matters—because it shows a very real relationship, and friendship. sometimes, at your worst, you resent even the people you love, and you love them anyway, and show up for them anyway, and you try for them, anyway. because that's life.

all that said, i am not excusing what sangdo said, because it was obviously stupid and immature and wrong. samdal is her own person, she could have never been stolen by anyone if she didn't make that decision herself. sangdo is speaking from a place of hurt here, and his own personal point of view. that doesn't make it right, but just his own, extremely subjective opinion fueled by anger and hurt in that moment. and he shows up for samdal, and protects and supports her right after that, anyway. with yongpil, even!

the fact that people think he is as bad as the photographer and her boyfriend is insane. the fact that people read him as a villain is frankly alarming. why one would think this man is a villain and not just a multi-layered, very real character, who is capable of getting hurt and saying shitty things, is beyond me. it is just so fucking bizarre because, yeah, when real, actual people are hurt they will act irrational and rash, and say shit they either don’t mean or that is just plainly to strike out and hurt, or justify their hurt. it is insanely human. why is that so hard to grasp. don’t you want multi-layered, well-written characters?

#welcome to samdalri #kaz talks #i’ve had enough of the slander!!!! idc!!!!!

[cyberpunkonline]

You Have Ghosts

The Eerie Intersection of Hauntology, Vaporwave, and Beyond

In the labyrinthine corridors of modern music and art, a phantom whispers, echoing through the genres of Hauntology and Vaporwave. This article delves into the spectral dance of these genres, exploring their evolutionary relationship and their influence on niche genres such as Witchhouse and Faewave, while also examining the psychological and historical facets of nostalgia, and the potential of these art forms in marketing and creative messaging.

The Ghostly Genesis: Hauntology and Vaporwave

Hauntology, a term coined by philosopher Jacques Derrida in the 1990s, refers to the presence of elements from the past as spectral or ghostly phenomena in the present. It's not just about nostalgia; it's the awareness of lost futures, the roads not taken. This concept resonated deeply in music and art, leading to the birth of a genre where past and present coalesce, creating a haunting, eerie soundscape.

Vaporwave, emerging in the early 2010s, can be seen as a digital offspring of Hauntology. While it also engages with the past, Vaporwave is characterized by its satirical take on consumer culture and the commodification of nostalgia. It repurposes the visual and auditory aesthetics of the 80s and 90s, creating an uncanny sense of familiarity yet alienation.

Convergence and Divergence: The Interplay with Other Genres

As Hauntology and Vaporwave evolved, they influenced and intertwined with smaller, more esoteric genres. Witchhouse and Faewave are notable examples. Witchhouse uses symbolism and occult themes to evoke a sense of the mysterious and otherworldly. It leverages the Hauntological concept to create a space where the familiar is presented in an unsettling way, almost like a musical seance calling forth the ghosts of cultural memories.

Faewave, on the other hand, delves into the mythical and ethereal, often drawing on folklore and fairy tales. It uses the Hauntological approach to create a bridge between the ancient and the modern, inviting listeners into a dreamlike world where the boundaries of time blur.

The Psychological Lure: Nostalgia and Memory

The effectiveness of these genres in conveying their message lies partly in the psychological power of nostalgia. Psychologists have long recognized nostalgia as a potent force. It's not just a longing for the past but a reconstruction of memories to give comfort in the present. This manipulation of memory and emotion is a key reason why Hauntology and its musical descendants resonate so deeply.

Hauntology, by presenting an altered version of the past, plays on the brain's fondness for familiarity while simultaneously introducing elements of surprise and dissonance. This creates a complex emotional response that can be both unsettling and deeply engaging.

History of Nostalgia: A Cultural Perspective

Historically, nostalgia was once seen as a psychological disorder, a form of melancholy. Over time, its perception shifted towards a more benign longing for the past. In the context of Hauntology and Vaporwave, nostalgia becomes a canvas to explore alternate histories and futures that never came to be. It reflects a collective cultural memory and a commentary on contemporary society's relationship with its past.

Art and Marketing: The Unique Value Proposition

In art, the use of Hauntological principles allows for a unique expression that challenges the audience's perceptions of time, memory, and reality. It opens up new avenues for storytelling, where artists can juxtapose the old with the new, the real with the surreal, creating a rich, multi-layered experience.

In marketing, these principles offer a novel approach to brand storytelling. By leveraging nostalgia and the familiar, brands can create more emotionally resonant campaigns. The key is subtlety and skill - too heavy-handed, and it feels manipulative; too light, and the message is lost. When done right, it can foster a deep connection between the brand and the consumer, rooted in shared cultural memories and experiences.

Conclusion: Ghosts Among Us

The intertwining paths of Hauntology, Vaporwave, and their musical kin like Witchhouse and Faewave represent a fascinating evolution in the way we interact with art, music, and culture. They remind us that the past is never truly gone; it haunts every note and every brush stroke, creating a world where ghosts walk among us, whispering tales of what was and what could have been. This spectral dance of genres not only serves as a powerful tool for artistic expression but also offers unique opportunities in the realm of marketing, tapping into the deep well of collective nostalgia and memory.

- Tengushee.

#vaporwave #hauntology #marketing #art #digital art #digitalart #tumblr #artists #faewave #witchouse #genres #psychology

[bigmammallama5]

Just finished the first season of the x-files and while I loved looking at Gillian Anderson in impecable fashion for 20+ episodes, I have to ask: is there ever more of an overarching plot beyond “aliens are real and the government is hiding it”? Because it feels like that was the main conclusion at the end of the season, but it was pretty much established by episode 5, so what was the point of the rest of it?? They kept introducing different aliens with not a single reference to events of previous episodes, save for Tooms, and I walked away from the season feeling a little like nothing of meaning had happened for 15 episodes!

So, two things I really miss most about TV is the serialization of longer seasons, and the Monster Of The Week format.

Over the seasons the main theme is, yes, the government is hiding the existence of ETs, but there is a more complex arc of a planned invasion to also go along with the building multi-layered relationship between Mulder and Scully. But other than that, it's probably like (and I'm being generous here) 40% plot and 60% monster of the week, where you get fun creepy paranormal one-off episodes that usually don't tie back in! Which is the format a lot of longer-episodic shows used to do. That's how Xena Warrior Princess and the Hercules show were also made. AND Buffy, Doctor Who, Smallville, Supernatural, Charmed, Scooby-Doo, and Sailor Moon.

Some current shows do attempt to do some of this format, but [insert rant about the greed of networks pulling reruns and screwing over cast and crew pushing everything to streaming to circumvent paying out residuals] the length of seasons has drastically shrunk and this format has largely been put on the shelf and why I personally think neckflick shows are exhausting. With these older shows while nothing may happen to tie in to the plot every single episode, you get these nice character-heavy one-off episodes of "what would they do in This Situation™" (also allowing better pacing through the 24-28 episodes of a season).

So uh. Yeah. Those gaps were on purpose LOL.

#ask me stuff! #the x files #i need to go back and watch season one again it was so good #and xena i need to go back and watch xena #hhhh #i love monster of the week #truly unhinged shenanigans almost every time